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Location of police substations determines their effectiveness

Posted: Thursday, August 16, 2001

Criminals don't usually like to do business in the shadow of a police station. Knowing a police officer could appear at any moment tends to drive criminal activity elsewhere. This zone of safety is why many law-abiding business owners and residents want to live and work near a police station.

With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that residents of East Athens want their police substation to stay in the same prominent location in the Triangle Plaza business district it has held for the last 13 years. Before the substation was opened there, the Triangle, which is created by the intersection of Nellie B Avenue and Vine and Gressom streets, was known as a hotbed of criminal activity. Having a constant and visible police presence in the neighborhood has helped to drive out crime and return a sense of safety to the area.

In 1999, voters approved sales-tax funding for two new substations in eastern and western Clarke County. Approximately $1.25 million is available for land acquisition, design and construction costs for each substation. The earliest construction could begin is 2004.

On Monday, East Athens residents lobbied for the current location during a public hearing regarding possible sites for the new substation. The public hearing is the project's first step. A similar hearing for locating the western substation is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at the Athens-Clarke County Library, 2025 Baxter St.

We share the East Athens residents' desire for keeping the substation located in the same general area it resides now. Even as a small, inconspicuous outpost, the substation has given back to residents, businesses and visitors a sense of protection and order that is key to a healthy and vibrant neighborhood. The impact of this renewal is evident in the recent location of new businesses to the area as well as an influx of new residential investment. While the substation can't take credit for all of these changes, it is certainly a major factor.

In terms of locating the new substation in western Clarke County, we would encourage county officials to seriously consider Baxter Street or Hawthorne Avenue. Both corridors have a strong mix of commercial and residential properties. They are also areas that have had problems with criminal activity in the past, and, without a permanent police presence, they may continue to have problems.

Not only should the new substations be in prominent locations, but they should also have prominent appearances. For public safety reasons, we want to make sure people know where the police stations are. While the facades shouldn't be garish or loud, the substations can't be so demure that they're difficult to locate. Otherwise, this would negate one of the most beneficial aspects of having a substation -- deterring crime.

Given the fact that construction of these substations is still several years away, it may be difficult to convince people that they should get interested in where they're located and how they look. However, these decisions will be made long before the first shovel of dirt is turned, and they will have a huge impact on the effectiveness of the substations' presence in the community. For this reason, we encourage Clarke County residents to get involved in these projects.

This article published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Thursday, August 16, 2001.